Getting Over Cabin Fever

The winter drags on and on where I live in the northeast. Many blogs that I read have been posting photos of the outdoors at their homes … green grass, no coats … oh how I wish. I am getting cabin fever.

• In November we start to get snow. It’s exciting. The air is crisp and it makes me anticipate the holidays. 
• A white December is magical. The snow is gently falling while my home is filled the spicy scent of holidays and the sounds of Christmas carols. It doesn’t get any more Currier and Ives than that.
• January is fun. The snow is a great consistency for snowmen and forts and there is still only a reasonable amount of it piled up. 
• February is cold. No, it isn’t any colder than January was. It just feels colder. The snow has piled up high everywhere. It’s begun to get a little more dirty looking and the consistency is no longer good for making things. The snow is deep in the yard, about 2-3 feet, too deep for the girls to play.
• March is a disappointment. March is supposed to be spring right? Not here. The temperature warms slightly, melting some of the snow but we still get snow storms and cold weather. You still need to wear your winter coat.
• April is a teaser. Just when you think it should be over, it’s almost over. Some days in April will get warm, even up to the 60’s but we still get snow. There are still plenty of cold days.
• May is spring. May begins cold but the chance of snow is much smaller and the warmer days become more frequent. Finally winter has ended.

The bad thing about cabin fever ….

It makes me not want to do anything. I feel sluggish and annoyed that I have to be inside. I’m tired of being cold. I’m tired of wearing my winter coat. I’m tired of being cold. I’m tired of shoveling. I’m tired of being cold. I’m tired of dragging my daughter out in the freezing temperatures. I’m tired of cars needing to ‘warm up’ for 15 minutes in order to run properly and I’M TIRED OF BEING COLD. How’s my attitude sound?

I’m discontented and grouchy … about the weather. When we get discontented about something we can’t change we begin a chain of thoughts and behavior that are unproductive and sometimes, self-destructive.

For instance:

I’m tired of being cold, so …

I don’t go outside, so …

I get tired of being inside, so …

I don’t take care of the inside, so …

My work piles up, so ….

I feel overwhelmed, so …

I get snippy with my family, so …

I miss out on the people that make me happy.

This begs the question, how do I ward off this kind of discontentment?

• Do something. Today I bundled up the girls and took them outside anyway. Know what happened? They had fun, which made my day better. I shoveled my walkways and driveway in hopes that some of the sunny weather we’ve been having will melt just some of our snow.
• Look forward to something. I pulled out some material and started to think about making Chloe’s Easter dress (yes, I’ll post more on that later). I’m also starting to think about my garden and what I’d like to plant. I might pick up some daffodils if I see some in the grocery store.
• Don’t indulge your discontentment. If you find yourself on the couch with an enormous bowl of ice cream, watching television while you mope, GET UP. We don’t have to give in to discontentment. Misery loves the company of self-destructive behavior. You won’t be loving the spring as much if the winter adds 15 pounds to you.

Has the winter got you down? What helps pull you out of it? How do you deal with discontentment over things you can’t change?

Why I do what I do ~ In the movie “Piglet’s Big Movie” they go on an “expedition,” which my daughter refers to as an “extradition.”

 photo credit: jenny downing

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Tagged as: Family Life, Managing Time, Parenting